“Your father must have had faith that you could handle it,” she commented.
He looked her way and smiled. “He did, actually. I asked him his advice and he said it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
“And your brother works with you there?”
“He’s not as interested in the ranch side of the business. He likes to build things. He mostly does the general contracting work on the properties that we invest in and develop. He’s staying there temporarily while he builds his own house. It’s a few miles down the road. He just dug the foundation last week.”
“Oh, that’s exciting, and must be nice for you to have the company.”
“He just moved in this week, and I haven’t really been staying there, so I guess I’ll find out soon enough.”
As they made their way down the long driveway to the ranch, Lily noticed expansive fields on both sides and in the distance, herds of cattle grazing.
“That’s our main focus on the ranch, raising cattle, and once or twice a month, depending on the time of year, we have small groups that come over a long weekend for the dude ranch experience. Wade sends us some business.”
“Do people stay here, too, like at River’s End?” Lily was fascinated. Cody was more business-minded than most cowboys.
“We’re not as fancy as River’s End,” Cody said as they pulled up to a sprawling house. Two additional buildings were to the right of it.
“That’s the bunkhouse for the ranch hands.” He pointed to the first building next to the main house. “Our guest house is just beyond that. It can sleep up to twelve people.”
“What made you decide to add that to the business?” Lily knew how much work went into putting up groups of people.
Cody turned off the engine. “It was Wade’s idea, actually. When I first bought the place, he came to see it and we went out for a drink to celebrate. He called me the next week and said it had been on his mind as something I may want to think about. River’s End has horse riding and all kinds of outside amenities, but it’s not a working ranch with actual cowboys and cattle. It’s something guests ask him about and there’s definitely a need for it.”
“Are you actively involved in it?” Lily could picture Cody showing guests around the ranch.
“I am. The ranch hands do most of the hands-on activities, demonstrating herding the cattle and that kind of thing. But I spend time with them, too, explaining the history of the property and cattle ranching in general. And they eat well while they’re here. Anna, our housekeeper, prepares all the meals and it’s stick-to-your-ribs kind of stuff, meat and potatoes. They love it.”
“So, they get the experience of seeing a working ranch, and you see an added income stream every month?”
Cody grinned. “That’s right. Ranching itself is not very lucrative. Barely pays the bills, to be honest, once all the help and expenses are paid. Cows are not cheap. The true value is in the land, and preserving the beauty out here. Waking up to this view.” He got out of the truck, and Lily followed him and they stood overlooking the fields. “Once I got the ranch going and the weekend groups coming in, I turned my attention to focusing even more on real estate. Finding land or distressed properties at a good price to develop and bring back to their original beauty.” His eyes lit up as he spoke and Lily admired his passion and enthusiasm for his work. Out here, he seemed to be in his element.
“Are you ready to ride?” he asked.
“Sure, as ready as I’ll ever be.”
He led her down a hill to the stables and brought out a beautiful, reddish-brown horse. “Meet Gracie. She’s a sweet girl and has been here since day one.” He helped Lily up and onto the saddle, and handed her the reins. A minute later, he brought another horse out, with a gorgeous almost-black coat, and easily swung himself up onto her. Cody’s horse was named Annabelle and seemed to be quite energetic. She looked like she was ready to bolt any minute.
“How’s it feel? We’ll go nice and slow until you get comfortable.” He showed her how to use the reins to guide Gracie and Lily felt it coming back to her. She wasn’t nervous at all. Gracie seemed calm. A good choice for her. They started down a path, side by side, so Cody could make sure she was getting the hang of it.
“It really does come back to you,” she said as they reached the open field.
Cody grinned. “Good! You’re doing great. Want to pick up the pace a little?”
She nodded and Annabelle broke into a slow trot. Lily encouraged Gracie to do the same and they quickly caught up with them. They rode like that for a good hour, over fields and meadows, slowing occasionally so Cody could point something out—ranch hands working with cattle in the distance, a trio of deer nibbling on grass, and a family of rabbits scampering through a field of flowers. It really was a beautiful day. There was a cool breeze that blew through Lily’s hair as they rode along but the bright sun felt warm upon her face. She was glad she’d dressed warmly though. When the sun went behind the clouds, it was downright cold at times.
Lily realized that they’d made a long loop around the property when she saw the main house in the distance.
“I’m getting hungry. Are you?” Cody asked as they reached the stables.
Lily was suddenly starving. “I could eat,” she agreed.
“Anna texted me earlier that she left us a plate of sandwiches, and there’s plenty of chips and root beer.”
“Perfect.”
Cody helped her down and she gave Gracie a final pat before he took both horses into the stable where a ranch hand met him to help get their saddles off and get the horses settled. A few minutes later, he was back and they walked up to the house. He gave her a quick tour. The house had two levels. All the bedrooms and laundry room were on the second floor. Main living areas, office and kitchen were on the first. The house was gorgeous, and had a rustic feel with exposed beams and masculine colors—navy, rust, and accents of hunter green. There were plenty of big windows that let in lots of light and gave breathtaking views of the fields and mountains. The house had a relaxing and serene feeling to it, although it did seem huge for just one person.
Lily followed Cody into the kitchen and watched as he pulled out a plate of chicken salad sandwiches and poured glasses of root beer for both of them.
“There’s a big bag of chips in that cupboard behind you, if you want to grab it.”
Lily found the unopened bag of chips—and was surprised to see it was her favorite flavor, sour cream and onion.
“Let’s eat in the office. There’s a good-sized table there and Andrea is right. That room does have the best views.”
Lily had to agree. The office was on the right end of the house and the windows were oversized, floor-to-ceiling, and had sweeping views. It was a lovely space to work in.
“Andrea’s alone most of the time here, as we’re often out and about, but it’s not such a bad set up, I don’t think.” Cody opened the bag of chips and grabbed a handful for his plate, and she did the same. Anna had made plenty of sandwiches. They were so good that they each had two. Lily leaned back in her chair and sighed, totally full and content.
“This place is wonderful. I wouldn’t ever want to leave it. It’s not that far a drive into town. I’m surprised that you don’t stay here all the time.” Now that she’d seen the place and it was even nicer than she imagined, Lily couldn’t help but ask the question.
“It is great here. I think, at this point, that it’s just a habit. This place is so big, too big for one person. I don’t think I’ve ever really stayed here long enough for it to feel like home, if that makes any sense. I know it probably sounds a little strange, but I like to stay at the smaller projects that we’ve been working on. I’m kind of used to the moving around now. Keeps me on my toes.” He joked about it, but Lily thought it was interesting, almost as if he wasn’t ready to make the commitment to staying at one place.
She thought about his ex-girlfriend, Maureen. She didn’t know her at all, other than the fact that
she looked quite a bit like Andrea. What she did know was that they’d dated for a long time, but Cody wasn’t able to make a permanent commitment to her. Maybe it just wasn’t in his nature to commit to anyone or in the case of his house, anything? Another good reason for her to be cautious with him. Especially since it was becoming clear that there was some kind of an attraction between the two of them.
“What are you up to for the rest of the day?” Cody asked as he parked the truck back at the condos.
“I might go visit my Aunt Gillian later this afternoon. Other than that, just relax and work on a new song. What about you?”
“Similar. I told my parents I’d stop by, too. They wanted me to join them for dinner. They go out every Sunday night somewhere different. Tonight it’s Flynn’s. I told them I was just there, so would just come by and say hello instead. I have some paperwork I want to get done, too.”
Lily paused as they reached their doors. Then she impulsively leaned over and gave Cody a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you for today. I really enjoyed seeing your ranch and riding. I should do that more often. Ride, I mean.”
Cody smiled and seemed equally pleased and flustered by her kiss. The electric charge was back in the air. “Anytime you feel like going for a ride, just let me know. I had fun, too.” He took a step toward her and Lily sensed what was coming, and responded by quickly opening her door and stepping inside.
“Thanks again. Enjoy your visit with your parents.” She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her heart racing. Cody had been about to kiss her, she was sure of it, and she’d practically invited him to do it by kissing his cheek. So why had she run instead? What was wrong with her? She wasn’t normally so indecisive or skittish. But she’d done it now. Cody wasn’t likely to try to kiss her again. Since that was obviously the outcome she’d wanted, why was she instead feeling disappointment?
Chapter 6
When Cody drove out to his parents’ place later that afternoon, he wasn’t surprised to see his brother Ben’s truck in the driveway. He parked and went inside and found his mother, brother and father gathered around the kitchen island, drinking coffee. Ben was also digging into a slice of his mother’s famous yellow cake with chocolate frosting. She almost always kept a freshly baked one in the refrigerator in case people came by. As soon as she saw Cody walk in, she took out a plate and cut a slice for him, too. She didn’t need to ask. Cody never said no to that cake. He hugged his parents hello, nodded to Ben and then settled at the island after pouring himself a cup of coffee, too.
“I was just telling them about the band we saw at Flynn’s last night,” Ben said.
“Oh, they were good. Really good.” Cody cut a big bite of cake and popped it in his mouth.
“I understand you took the girl, the singer, out to the ranch today. Who is this girl? Are you sure that was a good idea?” His mother fired the questions at him, all completely expected. Lily wasn’t the type of girl his mother would ever have picked out for him. Just the fact that she sang in a band was enough for immediate concern. If he’d said he wanted to date Andrea, she would have completely approved. And almost on cue, she mentioned her.
“Ben said Andrea went with you last night, too. Why don’t you give her a chance? She seems like a lovely girl.”
“She is a lovely girl. Lily is too, though. I really think you’d like her if you got to know her.”
His mother sniffed. “A pub singer? I doubt that.”
Cody gave his mother a hard look. “Mom, don’t be a snob. There’s nothing wrong with being in a band. Lily is perfectly respectable. Besides, the singing is just a part-time hobby for her. She works for Wade, too, at River’s End Ranch as their party coordinator.”
“Yeah, she’s actually working on your….I mean, she’s worked on a few parties for people I know and they all said she did a great job!” Ben quickly recovered his almost fumble as Cody shot him a dark look.
“Oh, a party planner? So are you dating this girl?” His mother looked at him intently. Cody considered the almost-kisses that didn’t happen twice now. And that Lily had ducked a kiss that she must have known was coming. She’d made it clear enough as far as he was concerned. Lily wasn’t interested in him that way.
“No, we’re not dating. I’m not dating anyone at the moment. Maureen is engaged, though.” That got his mother’s attention. He told her how Wade had run into her and no, he didn’t mention the size of her diamond. Knowing Maureen, he imagined it was huge.
“I always liked her. She would have made you a good wife.”
She said it as though Cody had totally blown it—which, in a way, he supposed he had. Though it didn’t feel that way. Instead, it felt like he’d dodged a bullet. If he had to spend his life with one person, he wanted it to be someone he couldn’t imagine not being with. Someone he’d miss if they weren’t there. Bottom line was he had never missed Maureen.
“Everything happens for a reason, Mom. You’ve always said that.”
His mother nodded, pleased to be quoted. “Yes, that is true. I do believe it.”
“Maureen met and got engaged to someone else in less than three months. If that’s not a sign that we weren’t right for each other, then I don’t know what is.”
His mother pondered that for a moment. “I suppose you could be right. But we need to find someone for you.”
“No, you really don’t. What about Ben? Fix him up.”
“I get plenty of dates, thanks.” Ben chuckled. His mother shot him a disapproving glance.
“Too many, in my opinion. Every few weeks it’s someone different.”
“They’re all great girls. It’s too hard to choose just one. They all know I’m dating other people, though. It’s all very light and casual,” he insisted.
“Any girl that really likes you will not put up with that for long. She’ll expect you to choose,” his mother said.
“When I find the right one, I’ll be happy to drop the others,” he said with a grin. His mother just shook her head and then turned her attention back to Cody. Her face suddenly lit up as she thought of something that excited her.
“I’ve got it! Nadine Turner is available. I just saw her mother last week at the spa. She broke up with whoever it was she was dating. She’s exactly your type. Pretty little blonde, good family, works in town as an elementary school teacher. What do you think? I can ring Colleen, her mother, and get her number for you.”
She sounded perfect, exactly what Cody always thought was his type. So why wasn’t he more excited about the possibility of dating her, then? He hesitated and his mother urged him on.
“Come on, Cody, what do you have to lose? Go on one date. You never know —she could be the one, and a few months from now we’ll be planning your wedding.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t count on that. I’ll call her, though. If her mother gives you the number. Why not, right?”
“Why not, indeed?” his father chimed in. He’d been mostly silent since Cody arrived. As usual, he let his wife do most of the talking.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come to dinner with us, honey?” his mother asked, now that the issue of his dating life had been temporarily solved.
“I’m sure, thanks. I have some work I want to do.”
“All right, then. Ben’s coming with us,” his mother added.
“The food looked good there, and there’s a cute waitress I wouldn’t mind getting to know better.” Ben grinned.
His mother swatted his arm. “You have enough girls already.”
“But Mom, she might be the one!” he teased her.
Cody stayed for an hour or so longer and as he left, his mother promised to call Colleen ASAP to get Nadine’s number.
“But only if you promise to call that girl and take her out, at least once!”
“I will. I promise,” he assured her.
* * *
Lily felt unsettled the rest of the afternoon. She wasn’t entirely sure why she’d reacted
the way that she did with Cody, essentially pushing him away, when she was so attracted to him. It was confusing. She tried to focus on her new song, but just drew blanks—no words or even a hint of a melody came to her. Finally, she gave up. She put the pen and paper away, moved Hope off her lap and onto the sofa and dragged herself up. She called her aunt to see if she was in and she immediately invited her over for a cup of herbal tea and cookies. Jaclyn was over and they were baking. Jaclyn made amazing cookies. Lily knew she would enjoy a visit with two of her favorite ladies, and decide to walk instead of drive.
It wasn’t far, maybe a fifteen-minute walk, and Lily enjoyed the fresh air. It seemed to help clear her mind. When she reached her aunt’s house, she could smell the cinnamon and sugar before she even walked in the door. She tapped lightly and her aunt called out for her to come on in. She found them in the kitchen. Aunt Gillian was using a spatula to move cooled cookies off a baking sheet and onto paper towels on the counter. Jaclyn was scooping out balls of dough and placing them on another cookie sheet. Lily walked over to both women and gave them hugs.
“Help yourself to a cup of tea, honey. You know where everything is,” her aunt told her. Lily did as instructed, heating a cup of water in the microwave and adding a bag of raspberry herbal tea and a teaspoon of honey.
“What kind of cookies are you making?” she asked them.
“Snickerdoodles,” Jaclyn said.
“Cinnamon sugar cookies,” her aunt explained.
“It’s a new recipe. I think it may be the best yet,” Jaclyn said. Lily smiled at her enthusiasm. Jaclyn loved to bake and was very good at it.
“Everything you make is good,” she assured her.
Jaclyn beamed at the compliment. “Thank you, dear. Gillian, give her a cookie, would you? One of the ones that just came out. Nothing like a fresh cookie, still warm from the oven.”
Aunt Gillian handed her a small paper plate with a delicious sugary cookie on it. Lily didn’t even need to taste it to know it was wonderful, but she happily took a big bite.
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